What if chapter 13
by Kabaneri
Summary: Everyone knows how Zero becomes a vampire. This is a bunch of shorts and ideas where I've switched some things. Please read or I'll spoil the story if I say too much here.


**(AN: The names of Zero's parents are nowhere to be found, so I'm not naming them in here too, so sorry.)**

Zero had always been the odd one. He first child of the Kiryu family held status and certain responsibilities, despite him not being related by blood to either of his parents. He wasn't like them or his little brother, his looks were completely different and the only similarity was the face structure. He had been just a baby when his parents found him thrown in a ditch by the road…

===16 years ago===

The Kiryus were coming back from a mission when they heard crying of a baby. They stopped the car and rushed out to see. There was nobody in sight which made the husband tense but something within the wife stirred. A longing she'd had ever since they got married. She wanted a child but they had no luck until now. The cries tugged at her maternal instincts and despite her husband's protests she followed the sound. Thankfully it wasn't far. In a ditch, just beside the road was the source of the cries. A small baby, maybe no more than a month or two old. It was wrapped in a dirty blanket and smelled almost as bad as the trash it laid among. She sighed in relief when she found no injuries on the child. Getting an infection might kill the already cold baby.

"Who would do something like this to a baby?!" – she grumbled and started cooing at the child.

Its cries didn't stop but they were at least not as loud.

"Let's go home first. We'll warm him up and go to the city hospital tomorrow. The kid has clearly been left to die out here and our home is closer." – her husband offered and she quickly agreed.

Back in the car they closed the windows and wrapped the baby in a jacket, her husband even turned on the heater on low and he HATED the stuffy air in the car. This small gesture made her heart flutter with joy. When they had a child, he'd be a great father.

….

The small boy they had picked up was whimpering even after they'd arrived in their home, so she went to look for something they could give him, unfortunately there was nothing edible for a baby so young, so they had to settle for slightly warmed water. Every minute until morning was agonizing for her. She convinced her husband to have some rest after the long drive while she watched over the baby.

Now that he wasn't fussing as much, fooled by the water at least for now, she had a better look at him. He was small and thin, his skin pale, despite the warm blanket around him. A bit smelly but that was expected… He looked very cute with short hair that still couldn't be identified as any color but if she had to guess… either silver or white.

Just at that time the small child halted his quiet whimpering and stilled. He opened his eyes and seemed to try and look at her. He quickly closed them and shuffled in the blanket.

She was frozen. His eyes were beautiful amber color that instantly made her think of the jewels she'd seen on those fancy auction on TV. They were beautiful like gems and it made her hear melt.

"No one is going to hurt you, little guy. I promise." – she whispered as the baby drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

…..

"Good news, Mr. and Ms. Kiryu! The baby you brought was in no danger, just a bit malnourished. We're fixing that at the moment."

"Is he going to be alright? Did you find family name or who the mother may be?" – she asked hastily.

"Unfortunately, no. No family name, no babies matched him in our system, so I guess he'd not been born in a hospital or at least not in this country. We'll try some more but I don't guarantee anything. If everything goes well, he'd be in the adoption center so- "

"NO!" she suddenly interrupted the doctor "Y-you can't do that!"

"Honey, please calm down."

"Your husband is right, madam. He can't stay here forever. Someone has to take him sooner or later."

"Then I'll do it!"

This statement shocked everyone present.

"Madam, are you sure? A baby is a huge responsibility." – the doctor persuaded.

She looked at her husband with pleading eyes. No words were needed. He knew she was serious about taking in the kid. They had been trying and failing to have children for 3 years now and she always wanted one, even more wouldn't have bothered her. This little boy had somehow charmed his wife during the night and he knew the reason. The little baby was adorable! She scratched his head and sighed.

"OK. I don't mind." He looked at the shocked doctor "What can we do to adopt him as soon as possible?"

…..

It had been a few days since they rescued the baby and right now she was bouncing on her feet. Her husband's connections made adopting the boy at least a 100 times easier. Although she had been feeling a bit queasy these few days, she wrote it off as stress.

"So, the boy's finally in full health. We observed him and made some tests. No diseases, no hereditary or birth defects, just one thing… His melanin levels were quite low and if I'm right, he may suffer from albinism. It all depends on how his body develops. Just like how some babies are born blonde but in the end their hair becomes black. Just keep an eye on him and use sunscreen. His skin is sensitive."

"Thank you doctor, we will!"

Suddenly a wave of nausea caused her to clutch her stomach and sway.

"Are you OK? Do you need to sit or something else?" – her husband was quickly by her side, supporting her.

"Miss, maybe we can run a few quick tests to see if something isn't wrong. You picked the kid up in a ditch. A single scratch may cause an infection or a virus to enter your body. Better be safe now than sorry later."

"Alright…" – she said weakly, trying to not bend over the closest trashcan.

….

After a nurse had suggested it, they did a pregnancy test and it came out as positive. The good news were coming one after another. First the small angel they saved and now the news they were going to have the child they'd wished for years. A quick ultrasound, it was concluded she was almost one month pregnant.

"Must have happened back when we traveled through Turkey…" – her husband mumbled as they headed for their future son's room.

The little boy was sound asleep in his bed. She nearly squealed at the sight of the calmly sleeping baby boy, clutching a stuffed bunny – one of the toys the hospital gave to babies and small kids from time to time.

"So, how are you going to call him?" the doctor asked "You can't keep him without a name, right?"

"Hmm…" the wife hummed as she gazed at the sleeping child "We agreed that if we have a baby, we'd either call it Ichigo or Ichiru. I was going to call him Ichiru but I already have a child growing inside me. So, what about Zero? Kiryu Zero – it has a nice ring to it, right?" – he bashfully looked at her husband.

===A sibling is born===

It had been almost 8 months since Zero was adopted by the Kiryus and to say that not many were pleased by it. Other hunter families and vampire hunters didn't see why they adopted the boy after they already knew that they had a baby. The husband and wife didn't pay attention to them and continued their lives, albeit no longer taking missions.

Well… her husband might take a mission here and there but he was back in a day or two. Little Zero on the other hand was growing up into a wonderful baby. They ran tests on him once every month along with her own checkups, to see how the baby in her was growing. She was going to have a baby boy and was delighted that Zero would have a brother to play with.

Just as the doctor said might happen, Zero's melanin levels didn't rise. Soon his hair started looking more like white gold than silver and his eyes became redder, not quite red yet but on the way to it. He was an albino but it didn't bother Ms. Kiryu. She'd just put some sunscreen and a small cap on him, then they were out on a walk. Whenever Zero wasn't asleep, he'd try and touch everything that interested him, including his father's ammo, to the dismay of his mother.

…..

She had gone into labor a few hours ago and was still in the hospital. Her husband paced in the hall while rocking the crying Zero. Despite nearing a year, the little albino was a bit smaller than most babies his age, so his weight was nothing to the father. More minutes passed when the doors opened.

"Congratulations, Mr. Kiryu! Yu have a healthy son!"

He sighed in relief and slumped in the seat nearest to him. Zero had also calmed now and was chewing on his shirt's collar.

===Childhood===

Ichiru and Zero were inseparable, despite not being brothers by blood. Ichiry was just a bit shorter than Zero and looked a LOT like his father, just his face structure was like his mother's. Zero on the other hand was paler than his brother, but not by too much, had red eyes and hair the color of white gold. Not silver but not completely white either.

They were taught together, trained together, went to school together and even slept together. Ichiru liked going out and run in the sun while Zero preferred the shade. He got sunburns if he stayed out in the sun for too long but he also hated putting on sunscreen. It was a real challenge, especially when they went to the sea.

Vampire hunting was also something the twins started learning together, despite the protests the Kiryus received from other families and fellow hunters. According to them, Zero could have been excluded from vampire hunting and raised as an average kid but the idea was not accepted.

"If one of my children is learning, then the other also will!" – his wife had shouted at one of the meetings.

They were soon called on missions again, so Toga Yagari, an old friend and colleague, was called to mentor and watch over the kids while they were away.

….

"Ichiru! Hurry up! Vampires won't be waiting for you to chase them. You need more stamina to catch up while carrying your equipment!" Yagari shouted so the running child could hear him "Zero! Stop lagging! You may be older but your brother is almost behind you. Watch the track!"

Zero, just like Ichiru had been strapped to a heavy backpack and told to do laps on the field. It was close to noon and the sun shone in Zero's eyes. It annoyed him because he had to squint to see even vague shapes. He could sense his brother behind him, catching up and obviously pushing himself. Zero wanted to get to shade and rest. The sun felt like fire licking at his skin, its rays were like needles poking his eyes. Zero grit his teeth, head lowered. There were only a 100-meter sprint after the last obstacle- a fence he had to climb or jump over. He grunted and ran forward, leaving his struggling brother behind. Yagari's eyes widened just a little bit. With a jump, Zero slammed into the fence but managed to latch onto its top. He pulled himself up, feet scrambling to find footing. He steadied himself for a second and with a jump vaulted over the fence, landing in a crouch. Behind the fence, Ichiru had stopped to watch. His brother quickly ran forward and didn't stop until he was under the shade. He collapsed there, on his face.

"I hate the heat…stupid sun shining in my eyes…" – he mumbled.

Yagari stared at the boy for a bit and slightly smirked. Ichiru finally was able to move and a few minutes later was also under the shade. Zero had recovered a bit and rose up like a zombie, drinking from the water bottle as if his life depended on it.

===Bloodstained===

It was hell… It was red… RED… **red…**_** red…**__ red… _EVERYTHING WAS RED!

"M-mom… dad… Ichi…" – Zero stared in horror.

Everything was stained in the color red. Fear gripped his heart and he couldn't move. His body shook and his heartbeat seemed to bet louder and louder. In the middle of it stood **that** woman. She did this to his family and was about to do it to him. He wanted to scream, to run… to do SOMETHING! Instead his body was frozen in place. His mother and father laid there motionless, blood flowing out freely and no matter how much he tried, he couldn't spot his brother anywhere.

It all happened too fast and yet too slow. The woman with the strong smell, not strong as in type but more like a strong feeling her smell carried, quickly grabbed him and lifted him up. Her red eyes didn't meet his but he was frozen. The only other time he'd seen such eyes was when the nurse had attacked him and his brother. Those eyes glowed with spite and other emotions he couldn't place. She opened her mouth and bit down _**HARD.**_ His body jerked and he was finally able to struggle. He squirmed and kicked but was no match for her iron grip. He began feeling faint and his body becoming heavier.

Suddenly she stops and drops him on the floor. He can't see where she's going due to the black spots in his vision. Zero's body felt as if it was burning but also ice cold at the same time. His trembling hand stretched towards his parents' bodies. Before he faints, he hears loud footsteps and the door behind him opening with a bang.

"Oh….god…" – someone whispered.

===Present day===

The hunger pains were becoming worse and worse. Zero could feel it with every day passing. Yes, the tablets helped a bit but his body _craved_ something more. Something real and that disgusted Zero. Ever since that incident, he always dreaded the time when he'd succumb to his vampire instincts and become a Level E.

At first, he hadn't even noticed the change but soon the hunger for blood manifested. He did his best to hide it from Yuki and thankfully managed it for now. His sense of smell also improved, it was amazing how well he could differentiate and pick up scents as a kid, but now it was scary.

Just last month, when Yuki had cut her finger on a kitchen knife, he immediately caught the scent of her blood from across the room. That day was also the one where he couldn't completely rein himself in time. An uncomfortable feeling in his gums and the slightly odd way his mouth closed made him aware of the fangs that had appeared due to the stimulation. His body was attracted to the blood. It **wanted** to drink it, to taste the warm liquid instead of the bland tablets in water.

He had distanced himself quickly and collapsed in one of the bathrooms, panting and staring into nothingness. He hated himself… he hated how his red eyes, once the pride of his mother and father were so- so similar to those of the monsters that lived here, the one that destroyed his family…

"_Zero-chan, your eyes are so beautiful! Like two rubies that shine every time you smile. Don't listen to those mean kids at school. You are NOT a freak! Albinism is just something that happens rarely and this makes you very special." –_ his mom told him one day after he came from school crying.

He had listened to her then but here he was, yet again… He knew it was him in the mirror but he could no longer appreciate his eyes the same way he did before. He just… simply couldn't!

…..

He was groggy and sleepy due to his Guardian duties last night. Some girls had snuck in and he, along wit Yuki had to deal with the problem. By the time everything had settled, it was WAY past his usual time to go to bed.

Ever since he could remember, he had trouble sleeping at night. Even his parents had complained once to a friend of theirs, not knowing Zero was eavesdropping. With time he'd made a system how to go to bed, sleep and be rested in the morning. If that system was interrupted… he'd have trouble the next few days, so it was clear that he was annoyed. He just couldn't force himself to sleep.

To his relief, the stables were a quiet place to rest. Away from the noise of other students, away from the main building, a nice and shady place with nice ventilation that made it the perfect spot to nap during the hell known as afternoon sun. He laid down on a cloth he kept there just to put on the scratchy hay and quickly drifted off, far quicker than any night.

=Screech and bang=

"Zero-kun! Yuki-chaan! Say cheese for father!" – Cross pulled out a camera and quickly snapped a few pictures.

On them Yuki looked awkward and Zero had managed to hide his face behind a toast. Except in the first picture… Zero had been in the process of lifting the toast and one of his eyes was visible. It shone red and most would chalk it up to how old the camera was but Cross knew better. He was worried for the boy for a reason. People had problems with Zero even before he was bitten by that Pureblood but now, they were even more unwilling to trust the boy. His eyes put the hunters on edge. Normally you'd be able to see if an ex-human was about to attack or have a hunger attack by the change of his eyes but with Zero was impossible. His eyes were already red and not different from a vampire's. He wanted the boy to have a chance to be happy. Zero deserved it.

"Good news! Today you are going to do your job as prefects! You need to collect all pictures and other items the Day class had gotten of the Night class. The same goes for the Night class too!" – he said as if his previous mood never existed.

Zero grumbled and Yuki looked a bit puzzled. After the special breakfast, the two teens left to do their duty.

Cross looked through the window, following Zero with his gaze. He took a glance at the picture in his left hand, then returned to Zero. There wasn't a lot of time left. Not once had he seen the boy slumped in some far corner, panting and forcing himself to drink the tablets that: "Taste like sawdust and chalk mixed with the water.", according to Zero. No one knew how long the boy had left but Cross was sure the albino would fight for every second he has left. His boy had endured it for more than 4 years and had will stronger than most hunters he knew. That's why Cross promised to do everything he could to protect the boy from the association's attempts to have him executed at the smallest sign of vampiric behavior.

….

'I'm scared! The scary vampires are going to eat me!' – the same voice chanted in Yuki's head as she ran away from both the child and woman vampires.

She had to escape… But where?! Then, she saw an old clock tower and ran inside it. After climbing to the top, she closed the door and took out her weapon, prepared to protect herself.

'That was a v-vampire?! But Kaname-'

…

Zero was in town, appreciating his earned rest and enjoying a bowl of ramen with crab stick and shrimp. For some reason he'd been craving seafood recently. He'd even ordered it with extra shrimp. If his hunger wasn't sated with this, he was planning to hit the local market and buy some fish, squid or something else, maybe seafood. He wasn't sure why he even wanted it so much.

As he was finishing the noodles, he felt a heavy presence. Like a bloody fog and it made him freeze for a second.

"Damn it!" – he quickly stood up, shoved a bill to the chef and ran out, not waiting for the change.

He ran through the streets, searching for the source when he smelled it – the scent of Yuki's blood. That wasn't good, so he followed the trail of drops until he reached an old yard.

"YAAAAAAAH!" – suddenly a woman throws herself at him.

He spins and manages to kick her. One of her claws snags his pant leg and teared through it. Zero hisses when he feels a few drops of his blood fall down. The female vampire crashes through the wall, despite Zero not using as much force as he could. She lays there and twitches before crawling out.

"Gaaaaaaah!" – she shouts and rushes towards him like a maddened beast.

Zero points his gun at her, scowl on his face and his eyes flashed red, not that he could know.

"Uuuh." – the woman suddenly stops, like someone slammed on her brakes.

She tilts her head, looking at him. She no longer seemed to be interested in mauling him. Her gaze suddenly turned at his already healed leg.

"Uuu… M-m… o-o-de…" – she makes a broken attempt to speak.

Zero grits his teeth and pulls the trigger, shooting her straight in the head. She disintegrated.

'Damn it!' – Zero cursed, shook his head and followed the trail left by Yuki's blood.

…

Kaname had arrived just in time. Yuki had been fighting against the child Level E and was losing. He made sure to dispose of the vile creature that threatened his Yuki.

"Kaname-sempai, I- "

"No need to speak, Yuki. Let me escort you to the dorms. The smell of you blood is too dangerous right now."

She nodded and followed him. Kaname on the other hand frowned. He could smell another person's blood but it wasn't the blood of an ordinary person… It was the blood of a vampire and by its smell, it was of a powerful vampire. He couldn't be sure but it definitely wasn't a something a common vampire had. Many theories floated in his head, including this attack being a set-up of one of his enemies. Nevertheless, he was glad she was fine.

….

It was night and Yuki was on her regular patrol around the school halls, despite her adoptive father's advice. She was worried about Zero and her injury wasn't as serious as the principal exaggerated it to be.

Soon, she spotter a familiar mop of almost white hair. It was Zero, no one had hair like that in the entire school. He was slumped against the railings of a set of stairs. He didn't look good, so she got worried and approached him.

…..

Everything burned and he felt like he was suffocating. He had tried to take a tablet but his trembling hands kept dropping them. Zero was only vaguely aware of his surroundings and he knew he was no longer alone.

"Zero…" – it was Yuki.

She was talking to him but he couldn't hear nor understand her properly. His head swam but he knew he had to keep her safe.

"Get away from me!" – he shouted and stood up.

Zero tried to take a few unsteady steps away from her when she felt her hand catch his own. Her arm had been cut earlier and the faint smell of blood finally reached Zero's nose. He froze, his heart pounding loudly.

"Zero?"

He couldn't hold himself back anymore. His body **wanted** blood, **needed** the blood!

"Zero? What a-are you- "

He turned around and grabbed her by the biceps in an iron grip, she winced a bit. Zero leaned towards her, his breath tickled her neck.

"Zero, let me fo! It hurts!" – he didn't react and that alarmed Yuki.

She felt him lean closer to her neck, licking it. She pulled her head back and was shocked by what she saw. Zero's eyes were glowing! They were still their brilliant red but they were glowing in the dark and his pupils were slits. In his partly open mouth, she could see four long, sharp fangs. The top ones were longer and looked more like a snake's. Saliva dripped from them as he moved forward again. At that moment she realized it – Zero was a vampire! It all made some sort of twisted sense right now.

"Let me go!" she struggled "Zero!"

This seemed to snap him out of it. He pulled back, horror written on his face along with something else… fear, disgust? His fangs were still visible, his eyes still glowed, albeit dimly. He looked at her, gaze stopping at the left side of her neck. She felt scared.

"Y-Yuki…" – was all Zero managed to say before she ran away.

Zero stood there, head hanging down, then he left. He almost ran to his room and collapsed by his wardrobe. A hiccup came from him, tears streaming down his cheeks. By then his eyes weren't glowing but his upper canines were still noticeable.

"Yuki, I'm sorry… I'm so, so sorry!"

….

Yuki ran through the halls when she collided with her father's chest.

"Yuki? What are you doing here?"

"Z-Zero! He's… He's a v-vamp-"

"Come inside!" her father led her into the infirmary "Sit down and try to breathe. Once you are calm, please tell me what happened."

She sat on a chair and just stayed silent while her father checked her for wounds. Thankfully there were none, not even bruises where Zero had grabbed her.

"Are you better now?" – Cross asked as he sat in front of his daughter.

"I-I think so…" she touched the place Zero had licked earlier, feeling only a numb sensation "…What happened? Zero… Is he really a vampire?! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Yuki, please understand that this was the least desirable way for you to learn about Zero's condition. You see… I planned to tell you eventually but now I guess you learned about it on your own."

"But weren't Zero's parents killed by a vampire? How is he one? Doesn't he- " she stopped with a morbid realization "I-I said some terrible stuff back then and he heard me. I am terrible."

"It's not your fault, Yuki. You didn't know back then." he patted her shoulder "As for your question… You have probably thought that it's a myth that a vampire bite can turn a person in a vampire, but it's not entirely impossible. There are a handful of Pureblood vampires that have this ability. The vampire that attacked Zero's home was also a pureblood. We arrived too late and saw hil there with a bite to his neck."

"Then, what does that mean? What happened to Zero back then? Kaname-sempai and the others aren't… I've never seen them like _this!_"

"That's because Zero was formerly human. Humans that survive a Pureblood's bite have only one fate in front of them- they will turn into vampires and when their bloodlust overwhelms them, they'd lose all reason and turn into Level Es. It's a cruel fate. Even if they hadn't died, they'll become monsters and be killed in the end."

Yuki gasped and looked at her father in horror.

"Zero had managed to hold on for four years. He has a very strong will and I can't even imagine the pain he's been through." Cross says, obviously proud of his adoptive son "Recently, however, it has gotten worse and he may not be able to hold himself back anymore. Judging by the fact he almost bit you, Kaname-kun may ask me to transfer him into the night class yet again."

"No! You can't do that!" Yuki's outburst surprised Cross "He hates vampires and with what's happened until now… I just can't allow it. Zero has to decide for himself if he wants to transfer! I will go and talk to him." – Yuki ran out before he could stop her.

'Yuki, you are so kind… Sometimes too kind for your own good. Nevertheless, I am proud of you both.'

=Binding and bullets=

"So, since Zero remains in the day class, Yuki, you will have to keep an eye on him. We can't have him attacking other students, can we?"

"Just get over with it…" – Zero mumbled.

Cross then instructed them how the binding works and how to activate it. Zero cut his finger and let a few drops of blood on Yuki's bracelet.

"Now, you just need to touch the mark with the bracelet…" Cross pulled Yuki's arm towards Zero's neck, in a few seconds the boy was immobilized on the floor "… and Zero-kun would be restrained for a while. Enough time to stop him from biting, no?"

Yuki was a bit surprised by it all but didn't say anything while Zero had a look af pure boredom on his face.

"Come on, Zero-kun! Smile! Give a kiss to your father!" – Cross went to kiss him.

Zero's eyebrow twitched and the next moment Cross was sent crashing in the wall.

"I am going to class. Goodbye!" – Zero slammed the door behind him.

"Wait, Zero!" - Yuki ran after him.

Cross pulled himself up with a serious look. The binding was supposed to last MUCH longer and yet Zero managed to break free. He was going to keep this little fact secret, for now at least. It was better for everyone such information doesn't reach the association.

…

Toga Yagari was not a happy man. He had not only been dispatched to pose as a teacher but observe his ex-student and kill him if needed. The guys up the ladder were getting twitchier and twitchier. He'd seen his fair share of ex-humans but no one had as big of a target for elimination as big as Zero's. The albino he'd known was now about to be executed just because of his genetic condition! There hadn't even been any rumors nor reports about him attacking anyone and yet…

"Damn it! Why did they have to make the courtyard so long?!" – he cursed as he pulled a heavy suitcase with his equipment and clothes.

…..

Yuki waited for class to start when her mind flashed back to the previous night.

=Flashback=

"…So, why should I keep what happened with Zero secret?" – she asked her father.

"Because it's the best for Zero-kun right now." Yuki was confused, so he continued "Basically, Zero's family were very important and well-known among the vampire hunters. He's the last known survivor of the Kiryu family, although he was adopted, he's something of a heir."

"Wait! So Zero had been adopted? I never knew that."

"Yes, from what I know, the Kiryus had adopted him as a very young baby and he lived with them ever since. Many opposed their decision because his mother was also expecting a child, so a lot of people wanted them to give Zero away. Even more opposed their decision to have both Zero and Ichiru- Zero's younger brother, trained to be vampire hunters. Everyone expected Zero to fall behind his brother because he wasn't born a hunter but he excelled, so they made senseless accusations because of his appearance." – Cross said grimly.

"His appearance? Why? Isn't he just an albino?"

"Exactly! He's a child with above average physical abilities, almost completely white hair, sensitive skin and **red** eyes! It's nothing but amazing how Zero managed to keep up with the training and didn't give into the bloodlust for years. Some people just can't seem to accept change and that frightens then, hence why all those accusations. They would have seen just how nice Zero was if they gave him time but only a few gave him a chance. Currently, due to him turning into a vampire, Zero has a target on his back. That's why no one should know about how he almost bit you."

"I understand. I promise, I won't say anything."

=end=

She glanced at Zero and bit her lip. She wanted to talk to him but also was nervous. Just then the door opened and the new teacher- a man with dark hair and an eyepatch, entered. Zero's eyes widened and he stood up, exiting the room in a few brisk steps.

"I-I'll go after him! Excuse me!" – she followed Zero out.

…..

Yuki and Zero were in a small restaurant. They had decided to eat there before heading back with the items they'd bought.

"Hello! What would you like?" – a waitress came.

"I want a cold coke, a chicken salad sandwich and one of those parfaits with strawberries." – Yuki smiled.

"I want seafood ramen with extra shrimp, shrimp tempura a medium sushi set and crab sticks. Do you offer squid sashimi or you have only cooked squid?"

"I-I can ask the chef if he can get you squid sashimi…Anything else?" – the waitress sweat dropped.

"Yes, cold water with a lemon slice." – he said coolly.

"Alright. I'm going now." – she hurried to the kitchen.

Yuki stared at Zero, who seemed to not even notice hw awkward the mood was due to his order.

"Why all the seafood? I didn't know you liked it so much."

"I just have a craving for it these days. It's nothing special." – he shrugged.

When their orders came, Yuki looked in awe as Zero practically devoured the seafood and raw squid as if they were nothing.

…

Zero's eyes were glowing again and Yuki was a bit scared. She knew Zero would not harm her on purpose but he wasn't well at the moment. His body was shaking and his eyes were unfocused. She could see the longer upper fangs peek from behind his lips. She found herself staring. Zero's fangs were _different_. Their shape was different than that of other vampires, not even the Level Es she'd seen had similar. Yuki shook her head and focused on the most important task- snapping Zero out of the hunger.

….

Yagari had a bad feeling and that was never good, so he went out with his gun and a few anti-vampire bullets just in case. And just as his instinct had told him, there was trouble. He saw his ex-student holding Cross' adoptive daughter. Zero was licking her neck and was going to sink his fangs in her any second but she didn't even try to fight or scream. Just then she twisted her body and kicked. The two fell in the pool with a loud splash. To his relief, both came out just fine.

BANG! – he had work to do, so he shot Zero in the shoulder. He owed the kid at least a chance to defend himself.

=Brothers meet again=

Zero stood in front of his younger brother. Ichiru had been alive and was now working for the very woman that had killed their parents. It made Zero's blood boil from anger but he couldn't do anything. He was weak and exhausted while his brother was standing there in front of him.

"W-Why?! Why are you helping that woman?!"

"Because I want to. When she came that night, I had run away just a bit before the attack and met with her a few months later. She offered me a place and I accepted. You were always the better twin! Even though you were adopted, you got first place in almost everything. I was born a hunter but you were always better than me!" he shouted "You got this just because mom and dad decided to save you! I felt so bitter, you know? You, the adopted kid that came from who knows where, being better than me- the blood son and heir to the Kiryu family! I had everything but you were still better!"

This surprised everyone present. Cross and Yuki looked shocked, Zero's face on the other hand looked broken. He hadn't expected that the brother he cared so much about had betrayed him for such a petty reason.

BANG! –Ichiru shot Zero in the chest.

"Guah!" – Zero shouted in pain and clutched the wound in desperate attempt to stop the bleeding.

"Zero!" – Yuki rushed to help him.

"Ichiru Kiryu!" – the shout of Yagari sounded.

"Ah. It seems you have gotten rid of those Level E." – Shizuka remarked.

Yagari threw a sword to Cross and readied his gun for a fight.

"Yuki! Get Zero somewhere safe. We'll deal with those two!" – Cross said as he unsheathed the sword.

Yuki was just too confused and scared, so she nodded and dragged Zero away from there as hard as she could.

…

Zero was feeling cold. Everything around him was becoming more and more distant. He was unable to move much and his chest, the place he'd been shot, was burning.

"Zero, hold on! Don't give up. I will help you." – he could see Yuki's face was full of panic.

Zero tried to speak but nothing came out of his mouth.

"What should I do?! What?!" suddenly, she paused, a look of realization on her face "Zero! Drink my blood!"

She unbuttoned her shirt's neck and got closer to his face. Zero tried to protest, to twist his head away. He didn't want to fall as low as to actually drink a human's blood, not her blood. Currently she was stronger and pressed his head closer to her neck.

"I know you don't want this. You even refused to drink my blood after Mr. Yagari shot you but now you'll die! I don't want to lose you, Zero!" – she shouted.

Zero's eyes widened. He also didn't want to lose her or see her hurt… crying. At that moment, he let go of the control he desperately held. He let his instincts take control. His desire to not hurt Yuki still was strong. He carefully licked her neck and she shudder, then he bit down. The warm liquid went down his throat, finally sating his body's desire. He felt well and that disgusted him but he continued to drink. Not a single drop of blood fell on the floor.

Yuki was starting to feel lightheaded and Zero noticed it, so he stopped, licking the puncture wounds after finishing. She looked at him with a bit of relief on her face but it quickly disappeared.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" – Zero suddenly shouted as his body violently convulsed on the floor.

"Zero! What's wrong? What happened?" – she panicked even more.

Plink! – a bullet came out of Zero's wound and the hole started to heal quickly.

At that moment a lot of changes were happening to Zero's body. All his other teeth became sharp, his nails turned into razor sharp claws, his sclera became pitch black and his ears slightly pointy.

Ichiru had managed to get away from Yagari for the moment and pointed his sword at the two. He was about to attack Yuki when Zero's eyes focused on him, irises like two red dots in a sea of black, and before anyone could react Zero jumped at his brother like a mad beast. Ichiru stepped back to dodge but he didn't expect Zero's hands had transformed and a gash was made on his right forearm. Zero's claws sliced through the fabric and flesh as if it was paper.

…..

Kaname hurried, his distress grew as he smelled another strong vampire's blood there. It was the same blood he'd smelled by the clock tower. It was strange and weird. What worried him the most was that he didn't know if it was a Noble or a Pureblood's.

When he arrived, he saw Zero and Ichiru fight to the death. Ichiru was struggling while Zero attacked like a mad beast. Now Kaname knew from where the smell came. It was from Zero.

'Strange. I though he was supposed to be a human before getting bitten. A human can't turn in a noble or pureblood! What's happening?'

Just then Zero managed to catch Ichiru's arm and pulls him closer. He struggles but Zero is stronger. Zero's fanfs sink deep into Ichiru's neck as he screams. Zero tosses him to the side after taking a few gulps of blood. At that moment Kaname saw Zero's eyes clearly.

'Impossible! Is he actually-?!' – Kaname is shocked.

"Kyaa!" – Yuki shouts as Shizuka grabs her.

Shizuka bites Yuki and Zero focuses on the person that dared to harm HIS Yuki. Kaname also comes down from his perch and attacks Shizuka.

….

Ichiru felt terrible. His neck burned and he felt his limbs becoming numb. He looked down at his bloodied shirt and with a trembling hand pulls it down. The two puncture wounds left from zero oozed dark blood and purple veins quickly crawled across his skin. He had been poisoned and Zero's bite was the reason but how it happened, he didn't know. He had to save Shizuka but his body became more and more numb, his senses dulled. He managed to make a few steps before he collapsed and had to watch helplessly as she was killed by Kaname with Zero's help.

Zero finally succumbed to exhaustion and collapsed. Ichiru could hear his heartbeat slowing down and his eyes closing. This was the end for him.

=Revelations=

Cross was really worried. Yuki had thankfully been saved but Zero was in a coma at the moment. No one knew what was going to happen or what had happened to the albino. They needed Yuki to tell them what happened before his change.

"Principal, may I come in?"

"Ah! Kaname-kun! Please, come in. Want some tea or-"

"I'm here for business!" Kaname almost shouted "Sorry, it's just been stressful."

"I understand. So, what do you want to talk about?"

"It's about Zero Kiryu."

"Ah, he's in coma right now and we don't know when he'll wake up."

"I understand that much. Don't worry, his body just shut itself down for the moment. He'll be fine in a few days."

"How are you so sure?"

"Because I know Zero is no ex-human! His blood is strange and all I know is that he's a powerful vampire. Not someone that had been turned into one. No human can become a Noble or other high-class vampire."

"A noble?! High-class?! But Zero-kun was a human! Don't tell me he's like-"

"I don't know. But by your reaction, I guess you didn't know he's a yogari."

"Yogari? I can't say I am familiar with that term."

"You know how we vampires came to Japan fairly recently and officially settled here around 500 years ago, right?"

"Yes, I know that much."

"Alright, but there are legends in Japanese and Chinese folklore about vampire-like creatures before we traveled eastward and they are thousands of years older than our first attempt to colonize the east."

"Yes. You tell me those weren't vampires? How is it possible?"

"No, they ARE vampires! Just not quite like us. You see, a really LONG time ago some of our ancestors moved eastward. It was just so long ago that it just hadn't been documented due to the lack of language or writing at the time. Those common ancestors evolved alongside us but in ways that would make them more accustomed to the place they lived."

"So, there's another species of vampires we don't know about? What should I do?"

"Please, let me finish." Cross shut up and listened "When our predecessors arrived here, they discovered the yogari. They lived in simpler structures than our society. They were found in caves and alcoves, mostly by the shore or high in the mountains. They lived in small tribes, if you can say so. Not much is known about them because of their small numbers and how well-hidden they are. If the ship my grandfather had been on hadn't crashed near the shores of Hokkaido, he wouldn't have found them. The main difference between us European vampires and them is that their upper fangs are longer than ours and that their eyes are always red. Their ears are slightly pointy and when angered or hungry, their sclera becomes pitch black. Some of the other families had problems with them and the few known tribes here on the main island and Hokkaido were wiped out. Frankly, they are mysterious to us. We also found a few sightings of them in Chine but the country is just too big. Honestly, I thought they were extinct in Japan but here I am after seeing one."

"Hmm… this is very interesting but we don't have much. All I know was that Zero-kun was found by a mountain road, in a ditch, by his parents. If there are others like him still living here, we don't know."

"This may cause a problem but at least I know that Zero can't be a Pureblood. Yuki didn't show any signs of being affected by his bite." – Kaname said contently, he would have punished the boy if he'd done something like this to Yuki, even without knowing.

…..

Zero finally woke up after 3 days of being in a coma. He felt very thirsty, so he stood up and stumbled towards the nearest water source- a sink in the corner of the medical wing. He gulped the cold water and it soothed his dry throat. He splashed some on his face and looked at his reflection. He froze. It was him in the mirror but there were some changes. His pupils were more cat-like and his upper canines were even more noticeable. He gently moved aside some of his hair and touched the pointy tips of his ears. A shudder ran through his body as he felt like needles poked him. He felt as if this wasn't him, he hated how he looked even less human. The twitch of his ears almost made him have a panic attack.

"Zero? You are awake!" – Yuki ran to him and guided him to his bed.

"Y-Yuki…What happened?"

"Can you wait for a bit? I will call father and he'll explain it better. I am also trying to wrap my head around everything that has happened."

"OK. I can wait for a bit."

"Great! I'll be back soon!"

….

"So you are saying I am some sort of native Japanese vampire? But how?! I didn't have any thirst for blood until after the bite."

"It's quite complicated, Zero-kun. Even for vampires like Kaname, the yogari are a mysterious existence. They don't even know if they have Purebloods among them. We think that your real parents might have either done something to make you like human for a limited time and the bite had just activated your dormant vampire genes or it's just something the yogari do. We can only guess since no yogari had been seen in Japan for over 400 years, that is until your heritage was revealed." – Cross explained.

"So, what do I do now?"

"Actually, we thought to give you and everyone a vacation! Go and have fun! Relax until we adults deal with the annoying higher-ups."

Zero stared at him with 'Are you serious?!' look. Cross coughed and became serious.

"We did a few tests while you weren't awake to know what we should do to help you and we discovered some interesting things. Want to hear them?"

"Do whatever you want." – Zero grumbled but was also interested.

"First, your ears are pointed and can move freely. When you were agitated, they were longer, so your ears change shape. You have retractable claws and your fingers can extend a little when you flex them a certain way. All your teeth are sharp, so be careful not to bite your tongue off. While we're on the teeth- your fangs are ENTIRELY different than a regular vampire's."

"How?"

"Well… they are more similar to a snake's so… You have poison."

"POISON?!" – Zero was horrified.

"We were surprised too! Not even Kaname knew such a thing was possible! It's quite potent too!"

"I drank from Yuki! Is he fine?" he turns at her "Are you fine? You weren't hurt too bad, right?"

"y-Yes…I am fine."

"Calm down, Zero-kun! Yuki was never in danger. You didn't poison her, unlike with your brother…" Cross stopped himself there "SO! Turns out the antidote of the venom is a certain ingredient that is secreted from special glands in your mouth. It them mixes with the saliva, so the poison is neutralized. That's probably why you licked Yuki every time. You didn't want to hurt her, despite being hungry!" – he smiled.

The two teens blushed and looked away from each other.

…

A few days later, Zero, Yuki and Cross were in a villa in the mountains, taking a break after the whole disaster. Zero had slowly started to recover and adjust to his new body and its needs.

"Zero…" Yuki said from beside him and he looked at her "…I am glad that you are fine." – she squeezed his arm a bit and he smiled slightly.

"Zero-kun! Yuki-chan! Come for a family picture!" – Cross shouted from behind.


End file.
